Every year since 2009, Disneynature has released a new documentary about some part of the natural world in celebration of Earth Day. Talented photographers follow a specific animal, family, or larger group, giving the audience an intimate look at "a year in the life" and connecting viewers to the wildlife onscreen in a way few others have been able to achieve. The resulting films contain more humor, more drama, and more action than most Hollywood scripts.
This year's film, Monkey Kingdom, focuses on Maya, a toque macaque, and her newborn son, Kip. She is part of a large society of monkeys, and she sits on the lowest rung of the hierarchical ladder. Because she is part of the lower class, she works harder to survive than many of the other monkeys in the family, especially the alpha male Raja and his three mates, called The Sisters (who are not very nice to the rest of the group).
I found myself almost instantly attached to Maya. I especially related to her after the birth of her son, Kip. It is clear from the beginning that she adores him and, like all mothers, will do everything she can to protect him, care for him, and help him have a better life.
The animals featured are not so different from us. No, they aren't human. But they love, play, struggle, and grieve just like us. Sometimes they are mean, sometimes they are kind. And they discover that life is a little easier when they work together toward a common goal.
There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments throughout the movie, enhanced by Tina Fey's narration as well as some of the songs played at just the right time. My boys nearly fell out of their seats watching the monkeys invade a child's birthday party.
There are also a few tearful and deeply moving scenes, especially one when the monkeys say goodbye to one of their own who died in a territory battle with a neighboring group of macaques.
Set among ancient ruins in the heart of the jungles of Polonnaruwa in Sri Lanka, Monkey Kingdom allows us to see a part of the world otherwise hidden from most human eyes. Like all the Disneynature films, the cinematography is absolutely breathtaking.
The movie captures more than just the stunning panoramic views — the up-close-and-personal scenes really capture the personalities of all the characters. In addition to the macaque family, we meet langur monkeys, a cobra, a mongoose, sloth bears, leopards, and monitor lizards.
Disneynature's Monkey Kingdom opens in theaters everywhere on Friday, April 17. See it opening week (April 17-23) and Disneynature will make a donation in your honor to Conservation International to help protect monkeys and other endangered species in their natural habitats.
Visit disney.com/monkeykingdom for games and activities, an Educator's Guide, a Monkey Kingdom Family Activity Pack, and a free Monkey Kingdom ebook on Nook. You can also purchase Monkey Kingdom-inspired plush animals and jewelry through the Disney Store; a portion of the proceeds will benefit Conservation International.
